Aerial Lift Safety
A worker in an aerial lift performing work on the side of a high-rise building.
Date Posted: 05/31/2024
What is an Aerial Lift?
According to OSHA, an aerial lift is any vehicle-mounted device used to elevate personnel, including:
Extendable boom platforms
Aerial ladders
Articulating (jointed) boom platforms
Vertical towers
Any combination of the above.
A row of four aerial lifts are shown with their baskets raised and unoccupied.
Work from or around aerial lifts presents many significant hazards. These include Power line contact or contact with other overhead obstructions, falls from elevation, tip-overs, being ejected from the lift basket, structural failure of the lift, objects falling from the lift and striking persons below, causing injury. Injuries from aerial lift accidents can be devastating and life-threatening, life-altering, or fatal. When broken down by trade, electricians had the most deaths (25%), followed by construction laborers (15%), electrical power installers and repairers (13%), painters (8%), and carpenters (5%).
Additionally, most falls/collapses/tip-overs were within the height category of 10–29 feet. Tip-overs comprised 44–46% of boom-lift falls and 56–59% of scissor-lift falls. Constructing and repairing activities were associated with fall/collapse/tip-over incidents.
Hazards and Hazard Prevention Tips When Operating Aerial Lifts
Falls: This is the most common cause of aerial lift fatalities. Severe injuries or deaths can result from falls. Falls from aerial lifts often occur from improper lift operation and/or not using adequate fall protection equipment. To prevent falls from aerial lifts:
Ensure that access gates or openings are closed
Stand firmly on the floor of the lift platform or bucket
Do not climb on or lean over guardrails
Do not use planks, ladders, or other devices to extend the working position
Use a body harness with a tether or lanyard attached to the boom or bucket
Tip-overs can occur if proper safety precautions are not followed when using aerial lifts. Ensure the ground a lift is traveling or positioned on is free from bumps, holes, depressions, slick or wet surfaces, inclines, and slopes. Use outriggers when stability is required. If work must be completed while positioned on uneven ground, an incline, or a slope, ensure the lift is equipped with outriggers. Avoid operating lifts in high winds. Consider waiting until the winds calm down before proceeding with operations. To prevent tip-overs from aerial lifts:
Never exceed the manufacturer’s specified maximum load (which includes the weight of the person and all tools/supplies/equipment, etc., that will be on the platform).
Do not operate on surfaces that exceed the manufacturer’s maximum slope (typically 5% or less, but verify with the lift manufacturer). Always use wheel chocks and brakes when operating on any slope.
Set up on a firm surface, away from voids or drop-offs.
When navigating a lift designed to move with the extended platform, avoid debris, bumps, depressions, or potholes. Do not drive over floor grates or covers.
Never exceed the manufacturer’s maximum speed recommendations.
Know the type and proper use of stabilizing mechanisms in the lift. Do not attempt to move or adjust stabilizing mechanisms while the platform is raised.
Never position or tie off the lift or platform against a wall, structure, or other surface.
Maintain the intended center of gravity by evenly dispersing loads on the platform. Never attempt to increase the surface area of the platform with planks, boards, or other devices. Do not let materials extend over the edge of the platform. Do not hang tools or equipment off the sides or rails of the platform.
Exercise care when raising and lowering the platform to avoid entangling ropes, cords, etc., in the machine.
Most aerial lifts are intended for a single person. Do not allow more than one person on a lift unless it is specifically designed for that purpose.
Avoid horizontal forces from work tasks that could cause the platform to sway and become unstable. This includes pushing off or pulling toward any surface, structure, or object outside the platform.
Do not operate an aerial lift outdoors during windy or inclement weather. Never climb on the mast or use ladders or scaffolds on any machine part.
Enter and exit the platform only through the intended access point/gate.
Use a spotter when necessary.
Electrocution can occur from contact with power lines, electrical wires, and conductors. Electric shock can also transfer to a worker from the machine if it lacks insulation and touches a power line. Therefore, workers must know their surroundings when using aerial lifts near power lines. Inattention to surroundings can cause a worker to raise the lift’s bucket, causing the individual(s) in the bucket to come in contact with a power line and, in turn, get electrocuted.
Structural Failure can cause the aerial lift to collapse. This can happen if the machine is defective or overloaded.
Aerial Lift Pre-Start Inspection
Before each work shift, conduct a pre-start visual inspection to verify that the equipment and all its components are in safe operating condition. Read, understand, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions in all safety and operator manuals. Conduct a vehicle and lift components inspection and ensure that the inspection is appropriately documented and maintained.
|
Component or System |
Test or Inspect for the Following |
|
Operating and emergency controls |
Tires and wheels |
|
Safety devices |
Placards, warnings, control markings, and required manuals |
|
Personal protective devices, including fall protection |
Outriggers, stabilizers, and other structures |
|
Air, hydraulic, and fuel system leaks |
Guardrails systems |
|
Cables and wiring harness |
Other items specified by the manufacturer |
|
Loose or missing parts |
Placards, warnings, control markings, and required manuals |
Remove faulty aerial lifts from service (tag out) until repairs are made. Only operate an aerial lift if any of these components are defective once a qualified person repairs it.
Workplace Survey
The operator must survey the area, before using an aerial lift, for hazards such as:
Areas with loose soil or unstable conditions
Ditches
Drop-offs and floor obstructions
Debris
Overhead obstructions and electrical conductors
Weather conditions
Unauthorized persons in the area.
Resources
Chapter 296-869 WAC - Elevating Work Platforms
Chapter 296-880-30015 Fall Protection for Elevating Work Platforms
eTool : Scaffolding - Aerial Lifts | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)
